"Our faith imposes on us a right and a duty to throw ourselves into the things of the earth."
- Teilhard de Chardin

What’s in the standard share:

... and if you have an extra-fruit option:
Apples, pears and strawberries

CALENDAR

Sat. Oct 23rd
Fall Equinox Celebration AND Halloween Pumpkin Pallooza (combined)
3pm unitl dark

The Banana String Band will be playing!

The transition into fall is all around us; it's a time to let go of the expanding and growth oriented energy of summer and allow things to contract and focus inward. Over the last 30 weeks we've been harvesting almost every day. Our bodies are tired and the slower winter months ahead will be a welcome time to rest. The land, as well, is now being prepared for its winter cover crop: a grain/legume mix that will grow throughout the winter like a blanket, protecting and improving the soil. A few of next season's crops like garlic and strawberries will be planted in the next few weeks, into soil that has rested throughout the summer. Planting our strawberries now is a sign of our commitment and optimism for the coming season; we know we'll be back to dance the seasonal cycle once again. – Tom

Our Fall Harvest Celebration
In the Spring we celebrate the beginning of our planting season, in the Fall we acknowledge and celebrate the land's generosity, and the harvest received from our plantings. Every year we celebrate the seasonal changes, so we invite everyone to join us on Saturday October 23rd for our Fall Celebration, 3pm 'til dark. The Banana Slug String Band will share their humor and creative spirits through their wonderful earth inspired music. Bring a dish for our traditional potluck, and we recommend a blanket to sit on and something warm to wear in the evening. The children will help press apples into fresh cider and light our bonfire at dusk. Hope to see you all on the 23rd! [If you’ve never been to the farm before, directions are on our website. See Contact Us page.]

Farm Dinner
This coming Saturday we will host a Farm Dinner organized by Chef Lynn Sheehan from Sand Rock Farm, a local Bed & Breakfast which specializes in catering for events and retreats. This event is part of the Santa Cruz Culinary Alliance's Harvest Feast Series, in an effort to promote a closer connection between Farmers, Chefs and Consumers and showcase local produce, wines and culinary treats. The setting will be right in our field between the eggplant, raspberries, peppers and corn overlooking the Pajaro Valley and Mt. Madonna hills. For more information or to make a reservation contact Sand Rock Farm directly at (831) 688-8460.


2005 CSA Season
Sorry, I jumped the gun thinking we’d have next season all figured out by this week’s newsletter! We ARE working on the plan though, and you’ll be the first to know about it, here in the newsletter.
– Debbie

Notes from Debbie’s Kitchen . . . . . . . . Have a recipe you’d like to share? Contact Debbie.

Well this is the first time Tom’s grown celery! Not like anyone needs recipes for using it (we use it in so many different things), but let me see what I can find anyway. Before that though, I thought I’d share some of the ways I’ve been using my summer squash . – Debbie

Summer Squash Ideas
<> Dice summer squash and peppers. Sauté in some olive oil with a little crushed garlic, and a sprinkle of cumin, oregano and salt. After vegetables have softened some, add a can of pinto beans, and heat through. Make burritos with this, and offer sides of salsa, sour cream, or whatever.

<> Cut summer squash into segments about the size of penne pasta. Cut up some tomatoes into bite-sized pieces. Cook penne in boiling salted water, adding squash for last 2 minutes of cooking. Drain well, add tomatoes, and stir in pesto.

<> Cut summer squash in half lengthwise, score diagonally with a knife both ways (making a diamond pattern). Brush lightly with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper and grill a few minutes on each side. Serve as a side with spaghetti or grilled meat or other grilled veggies. Optionally you can sprinkle with additional herbs or garlic powder to season if you like.

<> Summer squash is also good in homemade soups. Add only during the last 5 minutes or so of cooking so they don’t go mushy on you. Think summery minestrone.

<> Cut squash into veggie sticks and use as a crudite with your favorite dip.

Braised Lamb and Celery
Believe it or not, this is a recipe from my Junior High School home-economics class back in the ‘70s! I remember it was good though (why else would I have kept it this long?) Serving size not stated, but probably enough for 4. I’ve tweaked it here and there to suit my more recent cooking knowledge.

1/2 C olive oil
2 med. onions, peeled, cut into 1/8" slices
1 1/2 lbs. lean boneless lamb shoulder, trimmed of excess fat and cut into 1" cubes, sprinkled with salt
1 lb. lamb bones, cut up if possible (also sprinkle with salt)
2 C water
1 tsp. turmeric
1 tsp. salt (maybe a little less, since you've salted the meat before browning)
6 large celery stalks
1/4 C fresh lemon juice

Heat 1/4 C of the olive oil in skillet until light haze forms above it. Add onions, and cook, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes, or until brown. With slotted spoon, transfer cooked onions to a heavy 3 or 4 qt. casserole and set aside.

Brown lamb and bones in the oil remaining in the skillet, turning frequently. When lamb and bones are brown, add them to casserole on top of onions.

Pour the water into skillet and bring to a boil, scraping all the goodies off the sides of the pan. Stir in turmeric and salt, then pour mixture over lamb and onions. Set skillet aside. Bring casserole to a boil, reduce heat and simmer tightly covered for 1 hour.

Meanwhile, cut celery into 3" long sticks, sliced down the middle. Chop celery leaves. In the skillet, heat remaining 1/4 C olive oil over moderate heat. Add celery and cook, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes or until they are a delicate brown, then add to the casserole. Add celery leaves and lemon juice and simmer, tightly covered, about 30 minutes longer, or until lamb is tender. Taste for seasoning.

Celery Salad with Blue Cheese
from Moosewood Restaurant New Classics
serves 6 to 8

8 to 10 celery stalks
3/4 C crumbled blue cheese*
1/4 tsp. salt
coarsely ground black pepper to taste
1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

Cut celery crosswise into 1/2" thick pieces to make about 4 cups sliced. Place it in a serving bowl and sprinkle in the crumbled blue cheese. Add the salt, pepper, and olive oil and toss well. Serve chilled.

* Maytag, mellow Danish, and Buttermilk Blue are all good choices for this dish [says the cookbook]. About 3 oz. of cheese will yield 3/4 C.

Eggplant-Cheese Pie with Zucchini Crust
from Jane Brody’s Good Food Book
6 main-dish servings

"The pie can be prepared in advance for baking. Or it can be baked through and reheated at serving time," says Jane.

1 1/2 tbsp. butter or margarine
1 med. onion, chopped (about 1/2 C)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb. eggplant, unpeeled, cut into 1/2" cubes (about 4 1/2 C)
1/2 tsp. salt, or to taste
3/4 tsp. oregano
3/4 tsp. dried basil
Dash or 2 of cayenne
1 small zucchini [summer squash], sliced
2/3 C (1 sm. can) evaporated milk
1 egg
8 oz. mozzarella, grated (about 2 C)

In a large skillet, melt the butter or margarine and sauté the onion, garlic and eggplant for 2 minutes. Cover the skillet, and continue cooking the vegetables for about 5 minutes or until the eggplant is soft, stirring the mixture a few times.

Add the salt, oregano, basil, and cayenne, and stir mixture well.

Line the bottom and sides of a greased 10-inch pie plate with the zucchini slices. Carefully spoon the eggplant mixture over them.

In a bowl, combine the evaporated milk, egg, and cheese. Pour this mixture over the vegetables.

Bake the pie in a preheated 375 degree F oven for 30 minutes.

Curried Chicken-Apple Salad
from Your Organic Kitchen by Jesse Cool
[modified ever so slightly!]
serves 4

1 C plain yogurt
2 tbsp. honey
1 1/2 tsp. curry powder
2 C cooked chicken,* diced
1 apple, peeled and chopped
2 sm. celery ribs, thinly sliced
1 green onion, thinly sliced
1/2 C walnuts, toasted
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 head butter lettuce

In a large bowl, combine yogurt, honey, and curry powder. Add chicken, apple, celery, onion and nuts. Toss to coat well and season with salt and pepper to taste. Line 4 plates with lettuce leaves, top with scoops of the salad. (Or serve it on slices of whole grain bread or in a pita as a sandwich.)

* For a wonderful vegetarian salad, substitute seasoned firm tofu for the chicken.

*Click Here* for a link to a comprehensive listing of recipes from Live Earth Farm's newsletters going back as far as our 1998 season! You can search for recipes by key ingredient. Recipe site is updated weekly during the season.